From December 8 to 10, the UNESCO International Research and Training Center for Rural Education (INRULED), under the auspices of Beijing Normal University, organized a series of events to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

On December 8, the celebration of INRULED's establishment was held. Yu Jihong, President of Beijing Normal University, along with education officials from UNESCO and relevant institutions in China, delivered speeches at the event. The speakers highly commended INRULED's contributions to the development of rural and regional education over the past three decades. They also expressed their anticipation for further cooperation to advance global education.

The event also received congratulatory videos from senior officials of various countries, global partners including the African Union, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization, United Nations agencies in China, UNESCO, and collaborating experts of the center.

From December 9 to 10, the 2024 "Towards Ecological Civilisation International Symposium on Education for Sustainable Rural Development" was held. The symposium aimed to explore how culture can empower rural sustainable development. Participants included representatives from international organizations, universities, enterprises, and social organizations from Ethiopia, Jordan, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, the United States, and other countries, as well as practitioners in education, rural development, cultural exchange, and communication, and young representatives actively engaged in social practices. Additionally, a youth forum was organized to encourage young people to participate in discussions on relevant topics, voice their opinions, and call for action to promote rural sustainable development. During the symposium, the Global Youth and Social Development Research Initiative was officially launched. The event attracted approximately 120 on-site participants and over 4,000 online viewers.

On December 10, the "Annual Meeting and Workshop of the Fourth Phase of the Rural Community Learning Center (CLC) Capacity Building Project" was held. This event brought together more than 80 CLC principals, teachers, and education officials from across China, as well as over 20 officials from international organizations, scholars, and practitioners in related fields, to discuss the future development paths of rural community learning centers. Scholars and practitioners from China, South Africa, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Jordan delivered keynote speeches on topics such as non-formal education, lifelong learning, digital transformation, and gender equality. They emphasized the crucial role of CLCs in empowering communities and promoting sustainable development in rural areas, and proposed that CLCs should advance education, cultural heritage, and green development in rural regions according to local conditions.

The Global Report on Education for Rural Sustainable Development is a key knowledge product planned by INRULED, aiming to promote rural education and rural development globally and lead the global agenda in this field. The report is chaired by Professor Gu Mingyuan from Beijing Normal University, who serves as the Chair of the International Expert Committee. On the afternoon of December 10, the report's launch meeting and expert consultation were held, with numerous scholars and educators from around the world invited to attend. They had in-depth discussions on the report's framework, and offered pertinent suggestions on its theme, conceptual structure, key issues, data analysis, and case collection. The experts in attendance unanimously agreed to build consensus and work with INRULED to improve the report, enriching both the theory and practice of education for rural sustainable development.

Over the past three decades, driven by the vision of "Education for Rural Transformation and Sustainable Development," INRULED has consistently championed rural education reform and development in developing countries. This has been achieved through research and knowledge generation, policy dialogue and advocacy, capacity building, information sharing, and networking. The Center has made distinctive contributions to Education for All and the Education 2030 Agenda. Looking ahead, under the framework of Sustainable Development Goal 4 and the post-2030 International Education Agenda, INRULED will continue to promote global sustainable rural development through education. It will actively participate in the implementation of global development initiatives and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind.